Improvement in water-meters



G. SICKLES. y l Improvement in Water Meters.

No 123 946 Patented Feb. 2o, 1872.

U o l s Ik UNITED STATES PATENT @Trrcn GERARD SIOKELS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENTIN WATER-METERS.

SPECIFICATION.

Y I, GERARD SIcIrnLs, or" Boston, in the county of Suii'olk and State ot' illassachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Water-Meters, ot' which the following is a specification:

Figures 1 and 2 in the drawing are central vertical sections,`tal; en in opposite direct-ions, of my improved meter.

The present invention relates to that class of meters for measuring water or other fluids where a reciprocating motion is given to the pistons; and has for its object the construction and operation of an apparatus at once simple, compact, economical, and eiicient. My improvements consist inrso arranging` and operating a series of devices, to be explained in due course, that water or other fluid introduced into a horizontal cylindrical piston propels it forward, thereby acting on another piston placed above it at right angles so as to partly revolve it, thus opening and closing' slots or ports formed in the said pistons, and introducing the pressure alternately on the opposite ends of the pistons7 by which means a continuous reciprocating' and rocking motion is imparted to the pistons, and the top of an index-shaft connected with the said pistons is so operated as to describe a circle, and the amount of water passing through the apparatus is correctly indicated on the register attached to the meter.

a a a in the drawing represent an outer cylinder or tube formed with slots or ports Z) b openin ginto an induction-pipe, c c, and an educ tion-pipe, (Z d, opposite to each other. Above the cylinder or tube a, a a, and formed at a right angle to it, is another outer cylinder, e e e, with slots or ports f f arranged on its opposite sides, and connecting with the eductionpipe cZ Z and induction-pipe c c by means of the passa-ges h ZI, and Z t'. Operating within the outer tubes or cylinders a a a and c c e are two horizontal cylindrical pistons, Zt L Zt and Z Z Z, arranged transversely with each other, each tube being divided, by a longitudinal hor iZonta-l partition, m m and a u, into two compartments, o o p p and q q r 1'. The upper halt' of one end s s ofthe pist-on k Z: k is closed, and the other end t t is open. The lower haltl of the piston k lo 7c is also arranged with an open end, u Va, under the closed ends s and a closed end, vv o, under the open end t t. Z Z Z is arranged in similar manner with closed ends w f1.0 a: x opposite eachother, one above, the other below, and open ends y y and e z under the closed ends w wand a' x. Each of the compartments o 0 p p q q i i' is forn'ied with longitudinal slots or ports a b c d ej" y h/formed in each side of the pistons Ze lc lo and Z Z Z above and below the partitions -m m and a a. The pistons k k k a-nd Z Z Z are formed in the center with vertical shafts i Zcf, in which operate stems Z m. The stein 'm' is formed with a ball-head, a', Working in a socket formed in the bottom of the stem Z', which is made with a shoulder bearing on a ball-socket, pf, rest-ing on the top otl the piston 7c lc lc, the top ofthe shaft Z being arranged to operate a gaugeindex. q r s t are v cylinder-heads that are readily adjusted to or detached from the cylinders a a a e e e by means otl the projections or screw-heads u u u o c c fw fw lw a" x wf, operated by a lever inserted between and bearing against the projections. Inserted in the cylinderdieads q r s t are washers y yl 2l/ 21/ al// b// The operation of my invention is as follows: rater being admitted through the inductionpipe c c passes through the slot or port b into the piston k k k, where, pressing against the closed ends s .9 'v fu, it propels the piston k k 7c forward, thereby ope ating the stein Z by means of the stein m in such a manner as to turn to one side the upper piston Z Z Z, and at the same time open the induction-port j", so that the water is admit-ted to and pushes forward the upper piston Z Z Z, which, by means of the stems Zl m operating in the shafts t" k', partly revolves the lower piston k Zt' k so as to close the induction-port b and open the eductionport a for the exit of the water. In the meanwhile the salne operation opens the inductiontube Z in the lower compartment p p, so that the water is pressed against the ends s s 'v v in an opposite direction, so as to propel the piston It It' k backward, and consequently the upper piston Z Z Z is turned in a contrary way, thus closing the induction-portfl ot' its upper compartment q q, and opening the ports/L of the lower compartment i" 1", so that the piston ZZZ is pushed back and the piston 7c /c k is The piston.

brought to its original position. By continuing the operation above described, a rocking reciprocatne, motion is produced, whereby an index-hand of a gauge connected with the shaft Z is revolved. The Water finds its Way to the upper piston Z l Z through the passage t' i and out through the passage h h.

Having' thus described my improvements, What I claim as my invention, and desire to have secured to me by Letters Patent, is

l. The manner of' introducing the pressure alternately on the opposite ends of the pistons k k k and l l by means ofthe semi-rotary mo tion which each piston imparts to the other, as described, and for the purpose specied.

2. The pistons 7c k lc and IH, arranged at right angles with each other, and provided with compartments o o p p q q r r and slots or ports a b c d ej" g h, substantially as speciiied.

3. The combination of the upper and lower pistons l Z l and lc lc lc, arranged and operating at right angles with each other in the cylinders aJ a a e e e, and connected by means of stems l m', formed with a ball-and-socket joint, substantiallyT as described.

4. The cylinders a a c ande e e, arranged at right angles with each other, and formed with passages h h ifi, substantially as specified.

5. The combination oi' the cylinders a a a and e e e and passages h h t' @I with the pistons 7c 7c 7c L l l, connected by the stems l m', and placed at right angles to each other, substantially as specified.

6. The positive reciprocating and rocking motion of the pistons 7c k 7c and l l l, opera-ting at right angles With each other, producing a perfect revolution of an index-hand attached to a stem, l', substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

GERARD SICKELS.

Witnesses:

CARROLL D. WRIGHT, SAML. M. BARTON. 

